1. Statement of the Technical Field
The invention relates to tightening and loosening tools, and more particularly, tools configured for tightening or loosening fasteners (e.g., nuts or bolts).
2. Description of the Related Art
There are many types of tool assemblies known in the art that are useful for fastener tightening and loosening operations. One such conventional tool assembly is a socket wrench assembly. As should be understood, a socket wrench assembly typically includes a wrench and removable sockets. The wrench and removable sockets collectively provide a mechanism that allows fasteners (e.g., nuts and bolts) to be tightened or loosened with a continuous motion.
The removable socket is typically formed of a heat treated alloy steel. The removable sockets can be sized and shaped to fit different fasteners (e.g., nuts and bolts). For example, a removable socket can be sized and shaped to fit slotted, notched, spanner, castle, or castellated nuts and bolts. A perspective view of such a removable socket and a slotted nut is provided in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the removable socket 100 is comprised of two opposing ends 106, 108. A square aperture 102 is formed in a first one of the opposing ends 106. It should be noted that the square aperture 102 is often formed in a separate component (not shown) that is inserted into the removable socket 100 and welded thereto. The square aperture 102 is sized and shaped to receive a driving shaft or fitting of the wrench. The removable socket 100 typically comes in a variety of sizes. Such sizes often include a fourth of an inch size (¼″), a three-eighths of an inch size (⅜″), a half of an inch size (½″), a three fourth of an inch size (¾″), and a one inch size (1″).
A plurality of drivers (or protrusions) 104 are formed in a second one of the opposing ends 108. The drivers 104 are sized and shaped to fit into gripping slots (or notches) 116 of a slotted nut 114. As such, the number of positions that the removable socket 100 can adopt when engaging the slotted nut 114 is limited. The drivers 104 are provided to drive the slotted nut 114 when actuated by a wrench for purposes of tightening the slotted nut 114 or loosening the slotted nut 114.
The above described conventional tool assembly suffers from certain drawbacks. For example, the removable socket 100 is relatively expensive and labor intensive to manufacture, repair, and/or replace. The removable socket 100 also has a relatively short lifespan. Also, if the removable socket 100 is not substantially aligned with the slotted nut 114 or the drivers 104 are worn, then the drivers 104 of the removable socket 100 can dislodge from the gripping slots (or notches) 116 of the slotted nut 114 when the tool assembly is in use. As a result of this dislodgement, the removable socket 100 can damage the slotted nut 114 and/or a chassis in which the slotted nut 114 is being coupled to.
In view of the forgoing, there is a need for a tool assembly comprising a removable socket that is less expensive to manufacture, repair, and/or replace. There is also a need for a removable socket with a longer life span as compared to the conventional removable sockets. There is further a need for a removable socket configured to ensure that the drivers will not dislodge from gripping slots (or notches) of a fastener when a tool assembly is being used.